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Air Force

Pentagon Inspector General Highlights Continuing F-35 Readiness Concerns

Frank Wolfe

Wednesday, January 7th, 2026

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Pentagon Inspector General Highlights Continuing F-35 Readiness Concerns

Pictured is a U.S. Air Force photo of an F-35A with the 4th Fighter Squadron at Hill AFB, Utah taking off during Red Flag 25-3 at Nellis AFB, Nev. on July 30, 2025.

While Air Force F-35A and Navy F-35C fighters by Lockheed Martin [LMT] were in the U.S. strike package against Venezuela on Jan. 3, a Pentagon Inspector General (IG) report last month highlighted continuing readiness shortfalls for the aircraft. The F-35 is the U.S. military's costliest acquisition program--more than $2 trillion over the fighter's life, of which $442 billion is for acquisition and $1.58 trillion is for sustainment. The average availability "for all military service F-35 aircraft in FY 2024 was…

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